Mercury-Scout 1

Mercury-Scout 1
Mission typeTracking test
OperatorNASA
Mission durationFailed to orbit
Spacecraft properties
Launch mass67.5 kilograms (149 lb)
Start of mission
Launch dateNovember 1, 1961, 15:32 (1961-11-01UTC15:32Z) UTC
RocketBlue Scout II D-8
Launch siteCape Canaveral LC-18B
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
EpochPlanned
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MA-5 →

Mercury-Scout 1, or MS-1, was a United States spacecraft intended to test tracking stations for Project Mercury flights.[1][2] It grew out of a May 5, 1961 NASA proposal to use Scout rockets to launch small satellites to evaluate the worldwide Mercury Tracking Network in preparation for crewed orbital missions. The launch of Mercury-Scout 1 on November 1, 1961, was unsuccessful, and the satellite failed to reach orbit.

  1. ^ "This New Ocean - Ch12-4".
  2. ^ Grimwood, James M. (1963). "Project Mercury: A Chronology".